Reflection of Perfection | NaNoWriMo 2016 ( severe editing)

3 7 : c o n f e s s i o n · a n d · c a u t i o n

Paris: 

One minute, the dagger was hurling toward Evelyn and the next, the dagger hit the marble column behind her- only she had vanished. 

A soft scuffling sound behind me propelled me to turn, and I saw Evelyn a few yards away from behind. Her eyes, usually as cold as stone when emotional, was pricking with betrayal. 

"I trusted you Paris," She whispered, her expression full of disbelief, "And you want to kill me? I-I can't-" She raised her hands in front of her, like she was ready to attack me with a spell, but her face was confused- bewildered. When had Evelyn learned how to Jump? We were just about to go over Jumping before she....left. Could this mean that her plan was finally falling into place?

"Evelyn..." I took just one step toward her before her fingers twitched and Evelyn gave me a warning glare, her jaw set. 

Slowly, as if not to raise alarm, I raised my hands slowly above my head, "C-could you just let me explain?" I stammered nervously, knowing a spooked Evelyn could easily attack me. 

"Why should I trust you, especially after you tried to kill me?" She snarled, I imagined that her emotions were running wild, though she had full control of her power, unlike Elsa. How could she wield such an amazing ability to control her power even when strongly emotional, that would rule out my theory that something had triggered her to burn the world. 

Which meant... that this was her intent from the very beginning. And how could I? How could I train someone in mastering their power when they would kill everyone I love as a wild result.

"Well?" Evelyn demanded. I sighed, "It is a rather long story Evelyn, why not sit?" 

"So you can kill me?" She blurted out. 

I bit the side of my cheek to keep my impatience in check, "Can I just explain my actions?" 

Evelyn stared at me, and finally she snapped her fingers. The chair she was sitting in before at the end of the table appeared next to her and the girl sat, her back stiff and her eyes colder than the Wynora Peaks. So, I took a seat and a deep breath. 

"Well, explain," Evelyn snapped, and so, I did. 

"I'm sure you know of the Great Prophesy, don't you?" 

She nodded slowly, "Well versed, actually. 
'Fire and ash shall replace the rain,
If the fairest of them all, 
Should she chose the wrong,
Forever the world will fall.' Said the Oracle of Evadon, right before the fall of that city. Evadon was a port city that prospered, and was targeted by the Neverland Boys a few hundred years ago, actually. The fighting left the city forever tarnished, but It is rumored, actually, that the foul mists of the city would temporarily turn you into a beast, yes?"

I didn't dare let my surprise shown, "Yes, actually, the rumors are true. Just ask your sister."

"Amber? Why?" 

I gave her a bitter smile, "You really thought she went into that village for fruits? How do you know about Evadon?"

She held my gaze as she responded, "You know why." How did she knew that I knew that she was the lost Princess of Fall?

I nodded, and continued, "My mentor, Jonas, he had visions- a few glimpse of who the 'fairest' might be. He said that a 'lost princess' with 'raw magic' would start an 'unknown disaster'. And then, just last week... I began having these dreams...A girl, with black dyed hair, holding sword, and just looking upon a burning city- it's Subosa. And she senses me and throws me into the sky and I'm struck by lighting- and it happens over and over again."

Evelyn's face was intrigued, "Do tell me more," she urged, but I didn't miss how white her knuckles turned. 

I swallowed, "And last night... I had this, rather, different dream. 

The burning city is raging- but something is different about this dream. Wails and cries are rising to a crescendo, like an end to a symphony, but I keep walking, looking for the trace of the girl- Evelyn?

And this time, again her back is face to me, but this time, she turns to look at me. Her features are hidden from her hooded cloak, and only her lips can be seen. They are stretched into a wide smile. She gestured me over with a twitch of her fingers and propelled by either my curiosity or her magic, I walk to her. 

She is standing on top of a fallen building and I stagger up the debris to meet her, ignoring the occasional pricks from the debris. I stand next to her and she simply tilts her head to the side, and points downward. 

What I saw next made my heart stop. The loudest scream in the fallen city of Subosa is Elsa. She is tied to a pyre and doused with flammable liquids. "HELP!" She screams, begging. 

I moved instinctively to answer her call, only to realize that I too, was bond by the girl's magic.

"No," I croak, my throat drying up, "No." I replied firmly again, but to no avail. 

A single nod from Elsa has them lighting up the pyre- and the screams increase tenfold. As I'm watching Elsa being burned alive, my hoarse throat makes me realize that I too, have been screaming and my wet face tells me that my love was dying and despite my magic, I cannot save her. 

Painfully, I tear my gaze away from Elsa's burning figure, her loud screams, and once again, the girl is smiling, this time, even showing some teeth. "You monster," I spit, even as red burning marks appear on my hands, my body, but I don't care. 

And then, Elsa stops screaming and my heart shatters into pieces as I weep. 

"Oh Stars, Paris, I truly am sorry for that nightmare," Evelyn breathed, sympathy laced between the words. 

"And," she continues hesitantly, "you think this is my fault? That I'm the 'fairest' in the Prophesy?"

I shrugged, my head still spinning from the nightmare, "It makes sense, doesn't it?" 

She sighed, and there was a guilty expression on her face when she nodded, "Yes... this is my fault." 

I braced myself to accept her death at my hands- and her next words nearly made me fell off my chair, "But, I'm not the 'fairest' in the Prophesy." 

a/n: I should update every Friday on a regular basis, though surprise updates may spring up from time to time. I plan to finish this novel before the middle of July and finish editing it before the beginning of September. Hopefully, this will work out better than my NaNo goals.